


Hope Is The Thing With Feathers

by onyeenhok



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: M/M, Post-Game, Recovery, Therapy, not spoiler free
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:54:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22092901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyeenhok/pseuds/onyeenhok
Summary: I can wade Grief-Whole Pools of it-I'm used to that-But the least push of JoyBreaks up my feet-And I tip-drunken-~Emily Dickinson; 252"Hope" is the thing with feathers-That perches in the soul-And sings the tune without the words-And never stops-at all-And sweetest-in the Gale-is heard-And sore must be the storm-That could abash the little BirdThat kept so many warm-~Emily Dickinson; 254
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 3
Kudos: 32





	Hope Is The Thing With Feathers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [isthepartyover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/isthepartyover/gifts).



Akira lingered outside the door, fidgeting and tapping and worrying the seconds away. How could he just trust a complete stranger with everything he knew? Even if Ryuji trusted her, even if he promised, even if he  _ begged _ Akira to put his trust in this...Satou-san, explained that she’d been a great help to Ryuji over the year after Kamoshida’s change of heart, how could Akira put his trust in her? The last time he’d trusted outside the Phantom Thieves, the last time he wanted to confide in someone, the last time he found a kindred spirit, Goro Akechi tried to put a bullet in his brain. And then had the  _ nerve _ to sacrifice himself for Akira without a second thought, to not let Akira  _ help _ like he had so desperately wanted to.

“Kurusu-kun.” Masae Satou’s voice was soft and kind, but it still made Akira jump, still put him on guard. After a year of hiding from all of Japan, from the whole  _ world _ , Akira couldn’t help the degree of wariness that soured his perception. He followed her into the room, comforted by the knowledge that Ryuji was in there, too, waiting for him.

The room was a haze of beige and that familiar muted blue as Akira scanned for threats, for  _ enemies _ , for-

“Akira.” Ryuji’s voice snapped him out of it, and he settled, focusing on where Ryuji patted the plush couch, inviting him to take a seat. Two long strides closed the gap, and Akira sat mechanically. Third Eye hadn’t revealed anything. The room was safe. It was just a normal room with a chair and a couch. A small side table with a couple coasters and a steaming mug. Coffee. Akira could smell it. Deep breath. He looked at Satou-san.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kurusu-kun. Ryuji-kun tells me you met a little under a year ago, I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things.”

“I transferred to Shujin in April, yes.” A bland, predictable answer that didn’t give much new information: something Akira had learned to excel at giving.

“Have you enjoyed Tokyo so far?” That was… a surprisingly normal question. Akira didn’t expect that a therapist would want to have such a normal conversation, though he also wasn’t giving her much to go off of.

“Yes. There are a lot of interesting people here.” Lots of dangerous people, too. But that probably wasn’t a polite thing to mention, so Akira didn’t mention it. He shifted nervously, on alert when she set her pen and pad down. She hadn’t written anything. Was that good? Was Akira keeping everyone’s secrets? Could she see through him? Was this another trap? Another losing battle-

“-have to be so guarded, Kurusu-kun. I’m under a confidentiality agreement, nothing you say leaves this room.” Satou-san gave him what he could only read as a sad smile, and dropped the pen and paper gently to the floor with a muted  _ thwap _ .

“...” Akira simply stared at her, quiet and, frankly, at a loss. What was she trying to get him to say? He had secrets, and he knew she knew he had secrets, but what Akira didn’t know was  _ which ones she wanted to hear _ . There were just too many to count, too many people to protect. Like Ryuji, who was still sitting next to him, steadfast as ever, a comforting hand that Akira hadn’t even noticed resting on Akira’s thigh, thumb stroking back and forth over the denim of Akira’s jeans. Apparently  _ that _ wasn’t a secret, then. The relief of one less secret, just  _ one _ , was so heavy. The relief of one less lie to maintain almost brought tears to Akira’s eyes. Almost.

“The only reason I keep a record is so that you don’t have to repeat yourself, but if my keeping a record makes you uncomfortable, I don’t need it. Everything in this room is about  _ your _ comfort. We could even just sit in silence, if you prefer.” Akira examined her face, her posture, the delicate way she simply let silence fall after she finished speaking… She didn’t seem to be lying. His Third Eye sense corroborated her statement, as well. No listening devices, no puzzles, no key items, just The Fool and The Chariot across from a normal person.

“I don’t like talking about myself.” The first wholly true statement Akira had told her. It was genuine, but spoken with less confidence than his cover answers. She gave another soft, sad smile.

“That’s okay. We can talk about something else, something _ you _ like to talk about. What’s important to you?” She asked openly, not expectant or trying to lead the conversation, simply placing an option down for Akira. Akira looked to his right, met Ryuji’s eyes. The hand on Akira’s thigh gave an encouraging squeeze, and Akira felt himself give the slightest of crooked smiles as he answered.

“The Phantom Thieves.”

**Author's Note:**

> A late Merry Christmas to Flip!!
> 
> I am alive and back on my angst bullshit <3


End file.
